<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>the way home by laughtales</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25681027">the way home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/laughtales/pseuds/laughtales'>laughtales</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, M/M, Post-Game, Sylvain is a repeat offender of leaving important information out of letters because he's excited, no beta we die like Glenn, they're soft and in love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:48:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25681027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/laughtales/pseuds/laughtales</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just when Felix thought his and Sylvain's relationship was going somewhere, Sylvain wrote him a letter.</p><blockquote>
  <p>    <i> Dearest Felix,</i>  </p>
  <p>    <i>There's someone I want you to meet! Her name's Fenne and she's wonderful. </i><br/></p>
</blockquote>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>203</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the way home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Felix was a decent rider. By that, he meant he knew how to mount and dismount and somewhat spur his horse to the speed he desired. He couldn’t fight on one, nor could he do all the fancy tricks Sylvain or Ingrid would do when they were trying to one up each other but that was fine by him. He preferred his feet on the ground anyway.</p><p>He’d left at dawn and the weather was nice. He should have made it to Gautier hours ago but he’d kept to a leisurely pace and had reached the Fraldarius-Gautier border when the sun was high in the sky. He barely paid any mind to the border watch when they greeted him.</p><p>Sylvain had sent a letter three days ago and the words sat heavily in the pockets of his coat.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Dearest Felix, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It’s always nice to receive mail from you, colorful as they are, with how busy I’ve been. As you’ve probably heard, the last of the peace talks with Sreng went well and His Majesty is coming to Gautier to sign the treaty next moon. A lot is going to change around here when that happens and it’s all going to be for the better. I’ll tell you more about it when I see you next time. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Speaking of which, if you’re not too busy in the coming days, can you make a trip to Gautier? There’s someone I want you to meet! Her name is Fenne and she’s wonderful. I thought I’d met all the women in Fodlan who could handle me back in school but apparently not. You’d love her Fe, she’s so mean to me. </em>
</p><p><em>Please let me know when you can make the trip. It’s been far too long since I’ve last seen you and I’ve missed you dearly. I can hardly contain my excitement for all the good things about to happen. </em> </p><p>
  <em>I hope to see you soon. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Forever yours, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sylvain Jose Gautier</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Felix had replied that same day, saying he’d make the trip in a few days once he settled some of his own affairs.</p><p>Which was how he found himself, an hour into Gautier territory and two away from the Gautier estate with a heavy heart and muddled mind.</p><p>Dimitri had written to him regarding the treaties with Sreng, pages and pages of praise and relief and joy over Sylvain’s accomplishments. Hundreds of years of a border war, one fought as recently as their fathers’ generation, ended through sheer determination (and recklessness and spite).</p><p>Almost three years ago and two years after the war, Felix and Sylvain were toeing the fringes of something deeper than adrenaline-high post-battle trysts and engaging in an awkward dance of not knowing how to proceed with the newfound peace and busy days.</p><p>Felix had spent days pining and longing and wishing Sylvain were as confident and persistent in his pursuit of him as he’d been in the endless stream of women back in the day.</p><p>And then Sylvain had fucked off to Sreng with nothing but Gautier colors on his back and his beloved warhorse.</p><p>He’d told Felix what he intended to do but had left out <em>a lot</em> of details, like when and how, and what exactly he was planning to do because to Felix’s ears it sounded remarkably like a suicide mission.</p><p>Dimitri and Ingrid had him under constant supervision between the two of them, like a child that would wander off the second they turned their backs. As though he couldn’t be trusted not to storm off to Sreng when two weeks passed and there was still no word from Sylvain.</p><p><em>Trust him</em>, they’d said.</p><p><em>He might be reckless but he’s not stupid,</em> they’d reassured.</p><p><em>He won’t leave you behind after everything that’s happened,</em> they’d comforted.</p><p>Felix was two days shy of committing regicide when Sylvain waltzed into the Fhridiad castle with a skip in his step and a dumb smile on his face.</p><p><em>I come bearing souvenirs!</em> Sylvain had said right before Felix punched him in the face and then kissed him right there on the floor of the entrance hall in a fit of anger and relief.</p><p>And then he came to his senses but Sylvain was kissing him back and holding him close and he couldn’t bring himself to do more than hide his face in Sylvain’s chest as their oldest friends watched on with stupid smiles on their faces.  </p><p>Sylvain had laughed, warm and soft and real, as he pulled Felix tighter into his embrace. <em>I missed you too, Fe.</em></p><p>There was some semblance of courting after that. Dates stolen between Sylvain’s travels to Sreng and a constant stream of letters and sporadic visits whenever they could take the time.</p><p>It was nice. It felt like it was going somewhere. Like their childhood promise had taken new shape and the next time they shared those words, it wouldn’t be from fear of death doing them an untimely part.</p><p>It would be a vow to spend the rest of their days together.</p><p>And then that letter came and despite <em>Dearest Felix </em>and <em>Forever Yours</em>, Felix’s head was filled with thoughts like <em>who the fuck was Fenne </em>and <em>that fucking cheater</em>.</p><p>But despite the betrayal and the hurt coursing through his blood as he rode closer and closer to the woman herself, Felix couldn’t bring himself to be resentful.</p><p>The way Sylvain had written about her, with such joy and excitement, said that Sylvain was happy and the relationship was <em>good</em>. And Sylvain was deprived of so much good in his life that Felix couldn’t bring himself to be the one to tear it away from him.</p><p>He steeled himself, swearing that no matter what, he’d be patient and understanding and only punch Sylvain once, maybe twice, and try to get along with this <em>Fenne</em> because he didn’t want to lose Sylvain completely.</p><p>Felix was wholly under-prepared when he crossed into House Gautier grounds and caught sight of Sylvain laying in the field.</p><p>Sylvain perked up immediately at the sound of approaching hooves and before Felix could maneuver his horse, he had already bounded over and was reaching up for a hug.</p><p>It was an awkward angle. Sylvain barely came up to his stomach with Felix still on the horse but that didn’t stop him from smiling wide and reaching around his waist and Felix found himself meeting him halfway.</p><p>In that moment, with Sylvain in his arms, all thoughts of <em>Fenne</em> flew away with the spring breeze.</p><p>Sylvain swung him off his horse with a flourish and spun him once before setting him back on his feet, his hands still around his Felix’s waist.</p><p>“Hi Fe,” he said, leaning down for a kiss. “I’ve missed you.”</p><p>“Me too,” Felix answered against his lips.</p><p>They spent seconds, maybe minutes, maybe more, just like that, in each other’s arms and sharing kisses under the sun. Then his neglected horse came over and Felix noticed the obvious lack of Sylvain’s ride.</p><p>“Where’s Altair?”</p><p>“Oh, she’s back at the stables. I walked out here. Gave me an excuse to ride with you when you got here,” he said with a wink.</p><p>Felix refused to acknowledge the blush on his face upon hearing that, but he let Sylvain take the reigns and settle behind him. Felix leaned back into his warmth, feeling safe and loved, encased in Sylvain’s arms.</p><p>Sylvain took them an extra lap around the grounds and they rode in comfortable silence for a while before Sylvain directed the horse towards the stables.</p><p>Something ugly within him reared its head when they were greeted by a well-dressed woman with jet-black hair and amethyst eyes.</p><p>“Fenne!”</p><p>Felix froze.</p><p>Sylvain didn’t notice, he was already off the horse and reaching out to help Felix when it happened.</p><p>In a petty fit of jealousy, Felix ignored the invitation and swung off the saddle on his own and handed his horse over to the stable hand.</p><p>“Sylvain. Duke Fraldarius,” she greeted with a bow before holding a hand out to Felix.</p><p><em>Sylvain</em>. She called him <em>Sylvain</em>. Not Margrave Gautier. Not Milord. Not even Sir Sylvain. Just Sylvain.</p><p>He stared at her for a moment before realizing what she wanted and shook her hand. Surprisingly, it was rough and calloused and Felix took a closer look at her, trying to discern what Sylvain found appealing.</p><p>She wasn’t beautiful like Dorothea, or dainty like Mercedes, or assertive like Ingrid. In fact, she seemed pretty normal and if not for Sylvain’s letter and the roughness of her hands, Felix wouldn’t have spared her a second thought.</p><p>“I’m Fenne, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Sylvain has told me so much about you, sometimes far too much,” she said with a sigh and a glance at Sylvain. “It’s an honor to finally make your acquaintance.”</p><p>Felix swallowed down the bitter taste of envy. “Likewise,” he managed to bite out.</p><p>Fenne looked at him with a slight tilt of her head and then turned to Sylvain with a hand on her hip.</p><p>“Sylvain,” she said, in a tone that was a mixture of Mercedes and Ingrid when they were about to call Sylvain out on his behavior. “What did you tell him?”</p><p>“Nothing! Just that you’re mean to me, which is true by the way, so you don’t get to drag me for that. But the rest was good, I swear!”</p><p>“Then why does he look like… well I actually can’t tell if he wants to stab me more or run away. Either way, he looks <em>terrified</em>, Sylvain.”</p><p>“He’s not good with people-“</p><p>“I’m right here,” Felix interrupted. He couldn't stand another second of this, the searing burn in his chest quickly overwhelming him. “If you two are going to flirt, I don’t want to be here.” He stepped around her and headed for the training grounds, hoping it would calm him down so he could stick to his original plan.  </p><p>He got three steps before he was stopped by a hand on his wrist.</p><p>“Flirt- what? Felix, no! That’s not what-"</p><p>Felix shook his hand out of Sylvain’s grip and whipped around, pain morphing into anger.</p><p>Just as he opened his mouth to rip Sylvain a new one, Fenne let out a grievous sigh and dragged a hand down her face.</p><p>“I knew it,” she said, taking several steps towards them and glaring at Sylvain. “You didn’t explain. I bet all you said was that you wanted him to meet me and absolutely nothing else.” Fenne turned to face Felix. “I’d apologize for him but you would know that he’s a complete dumbass sometimes. <em>Especially</em> when you’re involved.”</p><p>Then she smiled, polite and sharp and head held high. “Let’s try that again. It’s a pleasure to meet you Duke Felix Fraldarius. My name is Fenne Emma Fleur. I hail from a minor territory near the Sreng border and have been working closely with the Margrave the past two years. Sylvain should be the one to fill you in on the finer details. The short story is that I’ve been appointed to mediate the transition of annexed land back to Sreng. I can promise you that there is nothing between us of the sort that you assumed. We grew quite close, as can be expected when working on a project like ending a hundreds-year blood war. Although, I can hardly stand his voice outside of roundtable discussions anymore because every other word out of his mouth was about how much he missed his <em>precious Felix</em> and how he couldn’t wait to settle the matter so he could finally-“</p><p>“And that’s enough!” Sylvain slapped a hand over her mouth. Fenne made a face and pinched the back of his hand as she pried it away with an unimpressed look.</p><p>Felix watched in confusion. He wanted to believe it. From the way they acted, Fenne did seem more <em>good friend</em> than <em>illicit affair</em>.</p><p>“Don’t listen to her,” Sylvain said after he’d shooed her away.</p><p>“So she’s not just a good friend you’ve been working with?”</p><p>“No! I mean, yes! I mean-“</p><p>It was adorable to watch Sylvain trip over his words. If only Felix had the capacity to tease him further.</p><p>Sylvain took a deep breath. “She’s a friend. And I trust her. But that’s it. I swear, Felix, you’re the only one for me. I just got so excited for you to meet her. She’s done so much for me and Gautier. I guess I forgot to mention any of that in the letter,” he said, rubbing his neck sheepishly.</p><p>Felix sighed.</p><p>Sylvain was a fool. The biggest fool in all of Fodlan. But Felix knew that and fell in love with him anyway, so perhaps he was a fool as well.</p><p>“I believe you,” he said, taking Sylvain’s hand in his. They worked out a lot over the years and Felix learned not to read too deeply into Sylvain’s foolishness because it was just that -foolishness. “What was she going to say before you cut her off?”</p><p>Sylvain turned as red as his hair and laughed nervously. “Oh man, this was supposed to go very differently. I had it all planned out and everything,” he murmured.</p><p>Felix felt anticipation building in his chest and tried to quell it, lest he got his hopes too high.</p><p>“Ah, fuck it. So you’ve heard that Gautier’s giving back the land that was annexed from Sreng right? Right. So Fenne’s land and the rest of the territories up there are going back to Sreng. It’s all good, that’s what we’ve been working on the last few years and Fenne played a huge part in getting the people to agree to it. So uh, I’ve offered up the estate to them while the transition is made since the new border will be pretty close to here. So… Fenne’s going to move here and manage the grounds while I’m away.”</p><p>Felix raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going?”</p><p>Sylvain made an effort to meet his eye but he only managed the briefest of glances before he looked away, pink dusting over his cheeks. “I was going to move to Fraldarius, with you, if you’ll have me.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p><em>Oh.</em> </p><p>A similar pink must have spread over his own face because he can feel how warm even his ears are turning.</p><p>He had wanted this for so long, but never actually imagined it happening. How could he? There were so many factors out of their control for it to be possible.</p><p>But apparently, Sylvain had spent the last five years figuring out a way to make it work and now here they were.</p><p>Felix threw himself at Sylvain, arms reaching around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss, lips sliding against each other tenderly.</p><p>“Yes,” Felix whispered, feeling happier than he had ever felt in his life.</p><p>Sylvain laughed, a beautiful sound, against his lips. “I haven’t even asked yet,” he said between kisses.</p><p>“You don’t need to. But if it will make you happy, you can do it like you had planned. As extra and extravagant as you want, and I’ll tell you <em>yes</em> again.” Felix smiled, soft and warm and happy. “As many times as you ask.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. Kudos and comments always make my day &lt;3 Give this fic a like/rt <a href="https://twitter.com/laughtales_/status/1290112759858753536?s=20"> here </a>!</p><p>Fenne = 'peace' in Dutch</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>